History question

[jeepers52]

When did the M38 start being let go to the public? And when where the last ones still in service with the armed forces?

Thank you
_________________
Mario
U.S. Army

1952 M38 Jeep
1952 M38 Jeep (project)
1945 T-3 Bantam trailer

[evanso1975]

Hello Mario,

Not sure, but mine had it's civilian registration on 13th March 1958, so it would have to be released at some point prior to that. Being an air force jeep based in the UK, maybe it was sold off when a base was closed down??

That's my jeep's history (as far as I know), but I've seen photos on the web of M38's still being used into the early/mid 60's......

Rgds,
Owen.
_________________
Owen

1951 US Air Force M38
1944 F-1 1/2-ton Airdrome Trailer
1940 C15 Chevrolet CMP 11-cab
1939 DKW KS200 Motorcycle
MVT # 19406

[brimac]

My 1951 m38 that came from PA has Dated Title of 10/03/61.
The title brand is marked F and A. F is for out of country and
A for Antique Vehicle. Is the 1961 date on the title date of release, maybe.

[32sbct]

My M38 was first titled in Pa. in 1963. It has a reconstructed vehicle title. My guess is that it was titled that way since military vehicles did not come with a title. It was an Air Force jeep. Supposedly it was purchased at a military surplus auction in South Jersey. Maybe it came from McGuire AFB in New Jersey, who knows?

I'm guessing that the ones that wound up in the Reserves and the Guard were around much longer than those with the active duty forces. I guess old photos or veterans from that era may have some insight. I know I was still driving an m151A2 gun jeep in the Guard as late as 1991. I don't think too many were left on active duty at that time.

[wesk]

Generally 10 to 15 years then they were surplussed out. I recall the occasional M38A1 at our DRMO at Ellsworth AFB SD in the late 1980's.
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Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100

Mjeeps photo album: http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules.php?set_albumName=Wes-Knettle&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

[madmike]

To add to Wes's comment, my A1 has a Ca. Highway Patrol inspection sticker on the lower left driver's windshield. They were in the shape of a shield, dated, and applied when the vehicle came into the system. My A1 is a 1961 and the shield is dated 1973. Odometer indicates 35,000 but that of course cannot be verified and the engine has been replaced/rebuilt when in the military.

[wesk]

They were not declared surplus based on age alone. The military assigned a maximum spend amount on each vehicle for it's lifetime. When that amount was reached the vehicle was declared surplus and moved to a DRMO. There were provisions for wavers but that only would have applied to a few. Also many guard and reserve units could draw on DRMO possessed surplus vehicles to fill their needs so many vehicles got a military life extension that way. Also some vehicles at active units were often surplused and moved directly to a base support function like the MWR (Morale, Welfare & Recreation) and Post Exchange and family services function where it lived on for a few more years.
_________________
Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100

Mjeeps photo album: http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules.php?set_albumName=Wes-Knettle&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

[BobMajor]

I purchaser my 4/52 M-38 from the government rebuilder for the "Hands Across the Sea" program in 1968. I was told that they had permission to scrap all M-38 as the goverment was going to M-38A1 only. Mine was built from the last 6 M38's that the Army owned. For this reason, I believe I have one of the last M-38's that was scrapped out. My serial number is MC 62418 and hood number is 20909755. I hope this information helps Thanks

[BullRun]

The only local M38 owner that I knew told me he bought his M38 from the DRMO and drove it home on a 2 hour trip in 1968. He said it was in like new condition when he bought it.

He kept it all original. Maybe someone here has it now.

My very early 1952 M38A1 was mothballed at Fort Mead, Maryland with several other military vehicles into the 1970's. There is a record of these vehicles. They were later given to the Smithsonian Institution as part of a new fire fighting unit for one of their facilities. They were still fighting fires into the late 1980's - early 1990's. The A1 is unrestored and still has fire damage on the edges of the fenders from grass fires which it was predominantly used to fight. As far as I know the1950's era tanker trucks are still being used. The A1 was surplused only about 11 years ago. I am the 3rd civilian owner. It is a totally original vehicle surprisingly. The Sears hard top on the jeep is a nice Army addition from the mid sixties.

The Brooklyn Navy Yard while shuttered in the 1960's had a very small but active Army facility there till recently. Still guarded by an MP in a military Blazer, it contained about 2 dozen WWII vehicles of all different kinds. Parked in long rows like they had just been driven off a ship from Europe. One day they were all gone. The MP too. Soon after the area was absorbed into the defunct Navy Yard and quickly forgotten about.This was like 5 years ago!

[toojeeps]

here is a little background on my M38:

Early in my career we incountered similar problems in disposing of surplus military gear. We could not sell military items at the general public auctions. Nor could we sell a complete vehicle. Many were disassembled and sold to local fire depts, rescue squads, etc. In 1973 we aquired 3 M38s and 3 M38A1s from the military through the Dept. of Civil Defense. I still have the bill of sales with the hood numbers. Our Dept. used them for Radio jeeps and search and rescue work for many years until we cannibalized some to keep the others running. We sold the remains to a couple of salvage yards that suprizingly still have a some of the old bodies. Pretty rough last time I looked at them. By 1992 our Dept. had one M38 left in service that was cared for by a very competent team. I found out about it and started inquiring what they were going to do with it. I was told that it would be surplused when they were able to replace it with a John Deere Gator. In 2008 they got their Gator and the M38 was put up for auction. By then the rules had changed and the M38 was left intact. I was able to buy that jeep.